Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermoelectric module having a first housing element and having a second housing element, whereby at least two thermoelectric elements are arranged between the housing elements, whereby at least two thermoelectric elements are each connected electrically to one another via first electrical contacts or via second electrical contacts or are connected electrically to an electrical circuit via first electrical contacts and/or second electrical contacts, whereby the first electrical contacts are assigned to the first housing element and the second electrical contacts are assigned to the second housing element.
Description of the Background Art
Thermoelectric modules can be used both as so-called Peltier elements and as thermoelectric generators. In this regard, either a heat transport can be realized due an applied voltage, or current can be produced along a thermoelectric module due to a temperature difference.
The structure of the thermoelectric modules is the same in principle in both applications. Thermoelectric modules can be produced, for example, from a plurality of stacked layers and components. Thermoelectric elements are often connected to one another by means of electrical contacts. The thermoelectric elements in this case are integrated in a housing. Electrical insulation can be provided between the housing and electrical contacts or between the thermoelectric element and the housing. Electrical insulation is provided particularly when the housing is made of an electrically conductive material.
A temperature difference as large as possible across the thermoelectric module is advantageous to achieve as great a current yield as possible. Although heat is transported from one outer surface to another outer surface via the thermoelectric module, a temperature difference between the particular outer surfaces results from the desired low heat conductivity of the TE components. The less heat is transported, the greater the arising temperature difference.
It is particularly disadvantageous in thermoelectric modules that because of the large temperature differences, different expansions of the thermoelectric module occur on the particular hot and cold side. This results in high mechanical loading of the thermoelectric modules and can lead to failure of the thermoelectric modules.
A disadvantage of the solutions in the conventional art is particularly the non-optimal material selection for the particular hot side and cold side of the thermoelectric modules.